


If Things Were Different

by OasisLake76



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Anime), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types
Genre: AM!AU, AM!Ash, Arceus’s Mothman!AU, Gen, There’s a shit tone more people but Leon and Ash are the most important ones
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-29
Updated: 2019-11-29
Packaged: 2021-02-26 17:41:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,638
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21602347
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OasisLake76/pseuds/OasisLake76
Summary: Ash was 12 when he first met the new Galar Champion.Leon was only 10 when he met the Champion of three titles.
Relationships: Dande | Leon & Satoshi | Ash Ketchum
Comments: 5
Kudos: 249





	1. First encounter

Ash was twelve when he met the new Galar Champion. Apparently the boy had taken the title at the age of ten like he did.  _ Good _ , the last Galar Champion was old and set in some really bad ways. 

Champion Kilno was a mean spirited man that would try and put down Ash when he first joined the Champions. Kilno made it known that he had no problem swearing at Ash loud enough for the young boy to hear during League conference and Gala’s. Though Ash did let loose on the man after he won the Orange Island title. 

But this wasn’t a conference or a gala, it’s was a normal freakin  _ party _ . Something so unnatural for the League, yet so simple and normal for literally  _ everyone else in the world.  _

Ash hid behind a pillar. His fifth soda in his left hand, he’s only allowed to have two for the night, something Lance had put his foot down on because the older man still fears Ash’s mother with his life, but he’s gotten other League members sneak him one at least once an hour. Lance had caught onto Ash’s plan so the boy was now hiding from his uncle. The pillar was near the front on the second floor, bad architecture if Ash was honest, and gave him near perfect protection from anyone spotting him unless they entered the front door and purposely looked towards their left in the corner of the second floor indoor balcony.

Which was what one purple haired boy was doing at the moment. Peeking out behind a taller man’s back and glancing up at Ash with a star struck look in his eyes. The boy, probably the Galars new Champion which  _ fuck yes  _ because Ash has no one to talk to about young kid stuff anymore since every friend of his had gotten so busy in the past few years, was wearing a heavy looking cape that must weight a butt ton of the small child’s shoulders. It didn’t even  _ fit  _ him at all, the fluffy cape spread out behind the boy and slowed down his walking because it was so heavy. 

“Ash!” Lance bellowed out and Ash balked because his uncle didn’t even have the gall to turn his head and  _ look _ for Ash. “Come meet Galars new Champion!” 

Ash set down his drink, it’ll probably be flat when Ash gets the chance to sneak back up here since his Uncle is probably going to keep a hand on him for the rest of the night till nine-thirty when its bedtime, and debated to wait it out and  _ not  _ come down from his near perfect hidy-hole because Ash  _ does not  _ want to talk to more posh people and an awkward boy with hero worship clouding his brain tonight. 

The boy stole one more glance at Ash and the older boy silently cursed as Lance followed the twirps eyesight and spotted Ash. 

“ _ Ashton _ !” Lance bellowed again, gaining the attention of half the party participants. The tone Lance used booked no argument and if Ash chose not to come down in an act of near-tween chaos that could seriously hurt the budding relationship between Galar and Kanto. 

Ash rolled his eyes and let out an impressively loud, and extremely dramatic, huff of a sigh. “Coming!” He called back, choosing to be a tiny rebel instead of a respectable Champion and using the railing of the gilded staircase as a slide instead of walking down, and soon popping up by his Uncles side. 

“Hi,” Ash greeted, shoving his hand out at the boy who squealed at the sudden action and instinctively flinched behind the older man who was presumably also from Galar, “My names Ash Ketchum, I’m from Pallet Town and I’m twelve years old.” Ash kept his hand out, patiently waiting for the other boy to reach his own hand out and shakes Ash’s. 

There was a complete minute of silence and movement. Both Lance and the weird tall man were about to intervene when the boy shakingly reached out and grasped Ash’s hand lightly. 

“My ba-nab-nome,” the boy stuttered and Ash felt some weird feelings grow in the pit of his stomach as the boy continued to stutter out his name, place, and age. 

“Leon, huh, and you’re nearing your eleventh birthday,” Ash mumbled, both boys hands hadn’t stopped shaking, “that’s it.” He declared and tugged the boy put from his spot behind the weird man, which Ash will continue to ignore till the end of time because he looks  _ mean  _ and  _ evil _ , and over next to him. 

Ash turned his determined look towards Lance, who was looking more and more tired with the situation at hand, and declared: “Leon’s my new friend and as the friend-host-person-thingy, I’m going to show him around the castle until it’s time for them to leave.” 

Lance’s head snapped up from where it dropped into his hands during Ash’s decoration with something akin to fear and dread. “Ash- and their gone.” Lance frowned at the empty spot at his side and up to the staircase where Aah was practically dragging poor Leon up the stairs. He didn’t even try calling out to his nephew, too much like his sister, Delia, when she was younger and by the experience of his childhood there’s nothing standing in the boys way. 

“Aren’t we going after them?” Chairman Rose asked, worried for Galars  _ very  _ young Champion. “It’s already close to nine-thirty and we’re leaving around ten.” 

Lance places his hands on his hips and looked over at Chairman Rose with such a dead expression that the Galarian for the moment though the Elite Four member was dead for a second. “Knowing Ash, and holy shit do I  _ know  _ him, we have no choice but to wait.” He waved his hand behind his shoulder, “he’s our little storm after all.” 

As Lance walked off, and the party started back up with no fuss of the missing kids, Chairman Rose was left floundering in confusion and fear. 

Leon looked up at Ash as the Kantonian boy easily pulled Leon along through winding corridor after corridor with an awestruck look on his face, wide eyed and open mouth with a small smile. He was with none other than the Champion with  _ three titles _ ! Ash had become such a legend in Galar so much that during Johto all of the schools broadcasted the twelve-year-olds last battle with Johto’s old Champion Lance. 

Leon had caught Mr. Lances little nickname for Ash before he was pulled through the first set of double doors down the left of the upstairs balcony, Ash had grabbed an abandoned soda pop on the way through the doors, and Mr. Lance wasn’t that particularly soft spoken either. 

“ _ Little Storm. _ ” Leon muttered. Tasting the nickname for himself on his own lips. Leon didn’t notice that Ash had stopped until he stumbled into the older boy. 

“Did you say something?” Ash turned to look down at Leon. 

“N-no!” The Galarian boy stuttered and watched Ash shrug in acceptance before turning back around and continued to pull Leon along while pointing out certain things and good hiding spots. Leon took the moment to gently test his flexibility in Ash’s grip.  _ maybe ‘Little Storm’ contributed to more than just his chaotic attitude _ , Leon thought before yelling as Ash jerked the boy down a another different set of corridors. 

“I want to show you the backyard river!” Ash babbled on excitedly and Leon couldn’t help but get addicted to the energy that rolled off one Ash Ketchum. 


	2. Galas are boring without friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ash was 14 when he met the Galar Champion once more, this time at a Gala. 
> 
> Leon was 12 when he was dragged to a party to celebrate the new Sinnoh Champion.

Ash was fourteen now. A little bit older, a lot more wiser, and a shit ton more chaotic. 

The gash on his right cheek from that stupid bastard Zero was still somewhat fresh. Only three days ago he, Brock, and Dawn were saving the world.  _ Once fucking more _ , might he add. Overall Ash was still wounded but he forced himself to get up and face another day. 

That bastard just  _ had  _ to escape Maximum Prison and just  _ had  _ to find Ash to exact his revenge. And also just  _ had  _ to get the last laugh against the trio in general. It’s sad that the man won’t have a tombstone to call his own and he venomously hopes that Giratina is giving Zero  _ hell _ .

Dawn was currently across the ballroom, playfully dancing with Cynthia since the women had taken such a shine to the girl and would watch Dawn's contest performances when she could, while Brock was near the buffet table talking to some other rock gym leaders around the world. 

Ash’s tuxedo was more stiff around the shoulders than he would personally like, large claw marks and electrical burns  _ aside _ , but he could deal with if for one night. What he  _ can’t  _ deal with right now was his utter boredom! No one his age is around to talk to him and most other League members where in their fairly twenties to late-whatever Opal and Agatha’s age’s are. 

“Hi Kabu, good evening miss Lorelei!” A voice spoke up directly below Ash. Who was sulking on top of the second story open balcony because he likes heights and the G-man security Uncle Lance put on are absolutely  _ shit _ , _ dammit _ ! 

Leon’s voice made Ash perk up in slight interest. He hadn’t seen the boy since the debut-that-wasn’t-really-a-debut party two years ago. Leon would be mid to late twelve years old and  _ just  _ the right age gap where they could still have fun together and not have the atmosphere fall into that feeling where the younger baby-child obnoxiously follows and demands attention from the older-cooler-child. 

Making his way down the stairs. This wasn’t the castle home where Ash could go sliding down any sloped piece of architecture or furniture. Like a normal child, which  _ ew normality _ , Ash entered the throng of national League members and high end rich snobs that have too much money that they don’t know what to deal with. All the while trying to dodge groups with excuses ranging from simple to complex things. Ash turned around from giving another flimsy excuse, some ice type gym leader from Kalos who wanted to know where he could find Lance, and locked his eyes onto Leon who was standing dutifully by Chairman Rose’s side. 

Leon was twelve, nearing his thirteenth birthday in two weeks, when he was dragged from his one week vacation because Chairman Rose  _ accidentally  _ sent out an agreement that both he, Galars main gym leaders,  _ and  _ Leon would be there. The dress pants where to restricting of his leg movements and Leon had an inkling that Chairman Rose made it a little more tighter than necessary for some kind of fangirl clout. 

He didn’t want to be here. He wanted to be  _ home  _ in Galar where his four year old brother was probably  _ bawling  _ right now because Leon  _ promised  _ he wouldn’t leave at all this week and that Hop didn’t even get to say  _ goodbye _ ! 

Leon’s worrying thoughts threatened to consume him right then and there until a familiar hand slid into his own. His head almost his the other person who was next to Leon from how fast the short boy moved. Ash’s cheeky, chaotic grin and blown whisky brown eyes where what greeted Leon. 

“Long time no see!” Ash chirped his eyes glancing up to Chairman Rose, who miraculously didn’t see Ash sneaking up on the group and slipping right next to the man and Leon, “wanna go get some fresh air? It’s getting pretty stuffy in here from all the rich white male scents.” 

Leon stifled a giggle as he looked back up to Chairman Rose who was in a deep debate with Miss Lorelei, who was one of Ash’s Elite Four members, and Kabu who… 

Who was looking at both kids with a poker face and crossed arms which made his shirt sleeve bludged from the strain against his muscles arms. “And where are you two going?” Kabu spike up, completely cutting off the other two arguing adults and bring their attention to a sheepish Leon and Ash who chose to match Kabu stare for stare. 

“Out,” Ash easily answered, “I’m feeling stuffy and hadn’t seen Leon at all tonight since he keeps moving from social circle to social circle.” Shrugging Ash gently tugged the Galar Champion behind him slightly. 

“We are kids after all,” Leon nervously spoke up. He  _ hated  _ speaking up against any adult that he worked with. Leon grew up with his Mama telling him to  _ always  _ respect adults with power but since Leon technically has all the power that a Champion gets, which is something he will  _ never  _ hand over to Chairman Rose no matter how much the older man begs and pleads, Leon gets to argue back about things that don’t sit right with him. He’s still learning okay. 

Ash’s eyes damn near  _ sparkle  _ at Leon’s words. “Yeah!” He cries out a little to loudly for a small circle like theirs at the moment, but who cares? Because Ash doesn’t, “like Leon said, we’re still kids! And we also don’t have the same amount of social energy like you adults have so we need a break every now and then!” And without another word to anyone, Ash turned around and started to head towards one of the double doors that lead outside to a large balcony. 

After they had been outside for a good twenty minutes the boys had gotten bored with talking. Ash had suggested they switch capes for the evening, he needed a heavier one since his shoulders keep slouching forward and hurting an old,  _ three day fresh _ , wound he had gotten from a Pokémon, and wouldn’t Leon like to have some weight lifted off his shoulders for once. The cape trade was a good idea actually; Leon’s cape  _ did  _ help Ash’s shoulders balance out since he was so used to slouched shoulders because of his backpack and messenger bag and it didn’t even touch the ground with his height advantage; Ash’s cape was light an airy, Leon loved that it didn’t even touch the ground because the older boy had styled the cape to be more like a weird over the shoulder shawl that the end was swept back and connected to his other shoulder. 

Leon then followed after Ash as the raven haired boy had decided to cause a tiny bit of chaos for the night. 

They had stopped by Ash’s room to grab his Pokémon partner, a Pikachu that was larger and  _ longer  _ than normal but when has Ash ever been. normal, before setting off to the kitchen. Never once letting go of Leon’s hand. 

Both boys ended up grabbing a quick handful of mixed chocolate treats before being rushed out of the kitchen by one of the head chefs that gave them a small box full of goodies with the words; “ _ just to keep you young Champions from getting hungry before dinner _ .” And a strong reminder to not sneak back into the kitchen again. 

They still did… somewhat, it wasn’t  _ technically  _ them, the two sent Pikachu in but the Pokémon ended up grabbing its own kind of Pokémon food instead. Not that the boys could complain since dinner was in half an hour.

To kill time they started between people on the outskirts; Ash introduced Leon to Brock and the other rock gym members, Gordie just watched in amusement as he actually saw Leon have fun for once at a League event; the older boy also introduced him to Dawn and Aunty Cynthia; as payback for more somewhat awkward polite social talk, Leon almost brought Ash to the point of laughing hard enough the older boy was near peeing his pants and crying tears of joy. 

Overall it was a fun night and both boys exchanged phone numbers in front of their parting League members. 


End file.
